ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Defence
OMAN DELEGATION VISITS SOUTHERN NAVAL COMMAND
His Excellency Dr Mohammed Bin Nasser Bin Ali Al-Zaabi, Secretary General, Ministry of Defence, Sultanate of Oman along with a seven member delegation is on a two day visit to Kochi from 02 - 04 February 22. The delegation interacted with Vice Admiral MA Hampiholi, AVSM, NM, Flag Officer Commanding - in - Chief, Southern Naval Command, at Headquarters Southern Naval Command on 03 Feb 22 and held discussions on various defence cooperation issues with the Indian team
The delegation also visited Cochin Shipyard Ltd, the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier- Vikrant, professional trainingschools viz Navigational & Direction School and Diving School. In addition, the delegation also interacted with the Staff Officers of Southern Naval Command on various professional subjects. The delegation would be departing Kochi for Oman on 04 Feb 22. Prior to arriving Kochi, the delegation had visited New Delhi from 31 Jan - 02 Feb 22 and attended the 11th meeting of India-Oman Joint Military Cooperation Committee , aimed at enhancing the defence cooperation between the two countries.
Ministry of Coal
Coal Ministry issues Vesting Orders for 22 Coal Mines
Combined Coal Reserves Comes to 6379. 78 Million Tonne
73 Vesting Orders Issued under Commercial Auctions so far
The Nominated Authority, Ministry of Coal has issued Vesting Orders for 22 coal mines to successful bidders of coal blocks under commercial coal mine auction here today. Out of the 22 coal mines, eleven mines are under Coal Mines  Act, 2015 and the rest comes under Mines & Minerals  Act,1957. Sixteen coal mines are fully explored mines while six mines are partially explored ones.
The cumulative peak rated capacity  of 22 coal mines is 53 million tonne per annum  and having approximately 6,379.78 million tonne  of Geological Reserves. These mines are expected to generate Annual Revenue of Rs. 9,831 crores and will attract Capital Investment of Rs. 7,929 crores. It will provide employment to about 71,467 people both directly and indirectly.
With the vesting of these 22 coal mines, Ministry of Coal had issued vesting orders for a total of 73 coal mines under commercial auctions till date with cumulative PRC of 149.304 MTPA. This will result in generation of Annual Revenue of Rs. 23,097.64 crores to the State Governments and will generate employment opportunity to 2,01,847 people, both directly and indirectly.
Prime Minister's Office
Prime Minister announces ‘Vishwakarma Yojana’ to benefit individuals skilled in traditional craftsmanship
Scheme to begin with initial allocation of ₹ 13000 – 15000 crore
13.5 crore of poor countrymen and women have broken free from the chains of poverty and entered the new middle class: Shri Narendra Modi
Speaking from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 77th Independence Day, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi announced the launch of the ‘Vishwakarma Yojana’, in the coming days. The scheme is planned to benefit individuals skilled in traditional craftsmanship.
“In the days to come, we will launch a scheme on the occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti, benefiting individuals skilled in traditional craftsmanship, particularly from the OBC community. Weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, laundry workers, barbers, and such families will be empowered through the ‘Vishwakarma Yojana’, which will begin with an allocation of around 13-15 thousand crore rupees”, the Prime Minister said.
Earlier in his speech, Shri Modi talked about the poverty alleviation efforts of the Government. He said, as a result of these efforts in the first five-year term, 13.5 crore of poor countrymen and women have broken free from the chains of poverty and entered the new middle class.
The Prime Minister talked about various schemes that have aided these 13.5 crore people to rise above the hardships of poverty. Prominent among these included providing ₹ 50,000 crore to street vendors through the PM SVANidhi scheme, and directly depositing ₹ 2.5 lakh crore into the accounts of farmers through the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.
Special Service and Features
Gold worth Rs. 15.26 lakhs concealed indates seized by Chennai Air Customs.
Based on information Chennai Air Customs seized 295 grams gold worth Rs. 15.26 lakhs from a passenger’s personal goods which had arrived at Unaccompanied Baggage Terminal from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
A passenger who had arrived from Jeddah earlier came for clearance of his personal household goods in two carton boxes which had arrived by Emirates Flight EK 542 as unaccompanied baggage. On opening two carton boxes date paste packets were found among other items inside. On cut opening the date paste packets2 gold pendents one troy ounce each were found in one packet and 2 gold bars of 10 tolas each in the other. Total 295 grams of gold valued at Rs 15.26 lakhs was recovered and seized under Customs Act, 1962.
Further investigation is under progress according to a press release issued by the Commissioner of Customs, Chennai International Airport.
Ministry of Defence
India-UK Electric Propulsion Technical Workshop held in New Delhi
An India-UK Electric Propulsion Technical Workshop to foster collaboration, exchange knowledge, and explore the exciting possibilities in the field of electric propulsion was organized in New Delhi on 3 July 2023. The day-long workshop was co-chaired by Shri Rajeev Prakash, Joint Secretary  from the Indian side, and Commodore John Voyce, Naval Base Commander Portsmouth from the UK side.
The workshop served as a crucial platform for experts, researchers, and industry professionals from both countries to come together, share insights, and engage in meaningful discussions on the development of electric propulsion for ships.
The interaction and discussions provided a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, paving the way for collaboration and the exchange of ideas.
During the workshop, both sides expressed their commitment to forging strong defense ties and exploring avenues for joint research, technology transfer, and strategic partnerships.
ABB/Anand
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Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
On the eve of World environment Day, Union Environment Minister launches #selfiewithsapling campaign
Union Environment Minister, Shri Prakash Javadekar today launched a people’s campaign #SelfiewithSapling urging all to join and plant a sapling and post the selfie with the sapling on social media. Shri Javadekar stressed that ‘Jan Bhagidari’ is integral towards tackling the environmental issues and environment protection has to be a people’s movement.
Union Minister informed that on World Environment Day he along with renowned cricketer Kapil Dev and bollywood actor Jackie Shroff will plant sapling in the premises of Paryavaran Bhawan in New Delhi
World Environment Day 2019 urges governments, industries, communities and individuals to come together to explore renewable energy, green technologies and improve air quality in cities and regions across the world. The celebration of this day provides us with an opportunity to broaden the basis for an enlightened opinion and responsible conduct by individuals, enterprises and communities in preserving and enhancing the environment. World Environment Day is the biggest annual event for positive environmental action and takes place every 5 June.
World Environment Day 2019 will be hosted by www.worldenvironmentday.global/China with a theme of “Air Pollution”. Air pollution is the biggest environmental health risk of our time. Airborne pollutants are responsible for about one third of deaths from stroke, chronic respiratory disease, and lung cancer, as well as one quarter of deaths from heart attack. Air pollution is also fundamentally altering our climate, with profound impacts on the health of the planet.
Some Air Pollution Facts
- 92 percent of people worldwide do not breathe clean air.
- Air pollution costs the global economy $5 trillion every year in welfare costs
- Ground-level ozone pollution is expected to reduce staple crop yields by 26 percent by 2030.
India has formulated and launched the National Clean Air Programme . This is a long term time bound national level strategy and tackle the increasing pollution problem across the country. The objective of NCAP is comprehensive plan for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution besides augmenting the air quality monitoring network. The tentative national level target is reduction of PM2.5 and PM10 concentration by 20% – 30% by 2024.The focus of this year WED would be on the identified 102 Non attainment cities.
Ministry of Railways
Indian Railways begin sector specific discussions to attract more Freight business
Union Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal holds discussions with top leadership of Coal and Power Sector
Railways aim to gather maximum market share in new areas and consolidate its position its existing sectors like coal
Secretary Power ,Secretary Coal , Chairman & CEO Railway Board,Heads of CIL, NTPC , Singareni, MCLSECL, CCL, NCL, WCL,ECL, BCCL, NEC , SCCL participated in the meeting to review the freight operations company wise
Minister calls for coordinated operations among Railways, Coal and Power entities
Union Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri PiyushGoyaltoday held ameeting with top leadership of Coal and Power Sector to ensure consolidation of coal business of Railways and suggest ways andmeans to further improve the joint operational productivity ofRailways, Coal and power sectorconcerning Coal Freight.
It may be noted that Coal accounts for almost 50% of freight of Railways. Last year the total loading was.587 Million Tonnes. Out of total freight of 1210 MTs.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri PiyushGoyal said that Railways was making relentless efforts in the field of boosting freight loading and there was no scope of any slippages on any front. The Minister called for coordinated operations among Railways, Coal and Power entities to ensure maximum mutual growth of all the three sectors namely Railways, Power and Coal.
It may be noted that in a remarkable turn around, in September 2020 ,Indian Railways earned Rs. 9896.86 crores from freight loading which is also Rs. 1180.57 crores higher compare to last year’s earnings for the same period . The increase in freight revenue is 13.54%. There is a great a potential to further enhance loading of coal. An increase in coal loading will have a significant positive impact on railways freight revenues.
Railways are now going all out to overtake last year figures on a cumulative basis as well in spite of covid related challenges and long lock downs.
Freight loading in September 2020 is 15.3 % more than last year for the same period.
Slew of efforts like more than 25 policy initiatives formation of Business Development Units at zonal levels, running both specialised parcel &kisan trains and better all round monitoring is ensuring the growth.
Number of concessions/discounts are also being given in Indian Railways to make Railways Freight movement very attractive.Coal accounts for almost 50% of its freight.
Ministry of Steel
Indian Steel Industry Reduces its Energy Consumption and Carbon Emissions Substantially with Adoption of Best Available Technologies in Modernisation & Expansions Projects
Over the years the Indian steel industry has reduced its energy consumption and carbon emissions substantially with the widespread adoption of Best Available Technologies in the modernisation & expansions projects. The average CO2 emission intensity of the Indian steel industry has reduced from around 3.1 Tonne/tonne of crude steel  in 2005 to around 2.6 T/tcs by 2020.
To mitigate and adapt to the adverse impact of climate change India has introduced various measures under the umbrella of National Action Plan for Climate Change . National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency  is one of the eight missions under NAPCC.
The Perform Achieve & Trade  is a flagship scheme under NMEEE. It is a market based mechanism for enhancing energy efficiency, under which specific targets of energy savings are set. Those achieving the set targets are awarded Energy Saving Certificates , each equal to 1 Metric Tonne of Oil Equivalent. Those unable to meet their assigned targets are required to purchase ESCerts from the overachievers through a centralised online trading mechanism. The Indian steel industry is an important stakeholder under the PAT Scheme. The Steel sector has been able to achieve the total targeted energy savings from PAT Cycles PAT-I, PAT-II & PAT-III for the period from 2012- 20 to the tune of 5.5 MTOE  and corresponding CO2 reduction of 20 Million tonne.
The steel sector has adopted the Best Available Technologies available globally, in the modernisation & expansions projects.
Further, the steel sector has been made an important stakeholder in the National Green Hydrogen Energy Mission to facilitate deployment of green hydrogen in the iron & steel making process. Under this initiative it has been proposed to set up two Pilot Plants under the Public & Private Partnership to explore the feasibility of using green H2 in Direct Reduced Iron  production.
This information was given by the Union Minister for Steel Shri Ram Chandra Prasad Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Schemes to protect Western Ghats
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change  is implementing a number of schemes for conservation of forest, wildlife and environment in different states and Union Territories, including Western Ghats States. These include the National Afforestation Programme, Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat, Forest Fire Prevention and Management, Project Tiger and National Mission for a Green India. Funds under Compensatory Afforestation Management & Planning Authority are also utilized for conservation of forest and wildlife in the Western Ghats.
In order to protect and conserve Western Ghats, MoEFCC had constituted two Committees viz., the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel  headed by Prof. Madhav Gadgil and the High Level Working Group  headed by Dr. K. Kasturirangan, to review the recommendations of the WGEEP. On the basis of the report of the HLWG, MoEFCC has brought out a draft notification on 10th March, 2014, declaring biologically and culturally diverse areas as Eco-sensitive Area, requiring protection and conservation. Considering the views and concerns of the respective State Governments and addressing the concerns and apprehensions of public/stakeholders, the draft of Western Ghats Eco-sensitive Area was re-notified for the fifth time on 6th July, 2022 and a Committee has also been specifically constituted to assist in consultation with the State Governments for finalizing the notification. The validity of the draft notification is till 30th June 2024.
This information was given by Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
Prime Minister's Office
Rashtriya Poshan Maah is a huge campaign for the health of our family: PM
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has said that Rashtriya Poshan Maah, a huge campaign for the health of our family will be successful due to people's participation.
He also shared a video of his Mann ki Baat mention of the campaign.
The Prime Minister posted on X :
‘राष्ट्रीय पोषण माह’ हमारे परिवारजनों के बेहतर स्वास्थ्य के लिए एक बड़ी पहल है, जिसे जनभागीदारी ही सफल बनाएगी। मन की बात में मैंने इस बारे में चर्चा की थी कि कैसे कुपोषण मुक्त भारत के लिए देशभर में एक से बढ़कर एक कई अनूठे प्रयास किए जा रहे हैं…
Prime Minister's Office
PM pays tributes to Dr. Rajendra Prasad on his Jayanti
(Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has paid tributes to the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, on his Jayanti.
“पूर्व राष्ट्रपति भारत रत्न डॉ. राजेन्द्र प्रसाद की जयंती पर उन्हें मेरी सादर श्रद्धांजलि। स्वतंत्रता संग्राम और संविधान निर्माण में उन्होंने अतुलनीय भूमिका निभाई। सादा जीवन और उच्च विचार के सिद्धांत पर आधारित उनका जीवन देशवासियों को सदैव प्रेरित करता रहेगा”, the Prime Minister said.
DS/VJ
Ministry of Defence
EXERCISE EASTERN BRIDGE -VI AT AIR FORCE STATION JODHPUR
The Indian Air Force  and Royal Air Force of Oman  are scheduled to participate in a bilateral exercise named Eastern Bridge-VI from 21 to 25 February 2022 at Air Force Station Jodhpur. This would be the sixth edition of the exercise. It will provide an opportunity to enhance operational capability and interoperability between the two Air Forces.
Participation of IAF and RAFO in this exercise will promote professional interaction, exchange of experiences and enhancement of operational knowledge, besides strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
Various senior dignitaries are planned to visit Air Force Station Jodhpur during this exercise.
Ministry of Home Affairs
NDMA to conduct Multi-State Earthquake Mock Exercise in Delhi, NCR States
First Major Exercise in the 100-day Action Plan of the Centre
National Disaster Management Authority  in collaboration with the State Governments will conduct a Mock Exercise on earthquake preparedness on Friday . The exercise aims to improve preparedness and response mechanisms of the local administration in the event of an earthquake. It will cover Delhi , Haryana  and Uttar Pradesh .
In the run-up to this Mock Exercise, Coordination and Orientation Conferences have been conducted with the States of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana with participation of all stakeholders of States and concerned districts. Prior to the final exercise, a day-long Table Top Exercise is being conducted with all the participants to ensure the smooth facilitation of the exercise. Senior officials from all stakeholder departments such as police, health, education, firefighting, Civil Defense, Public Relations, transport attended these preparatory meetings besides representatives of Army, Air Force, National Disaster Response Force  and Central Armed Police Forces / Central Police Organisation .
These exercises are dealing with simulated scenarios of earthquakes and consequent secondary disasters wherein the participants are being trained on key aspects of disaster management such as the formation of Incident Response Teams, activation of Emergency Operation Centres , coordination among various participating agencies, rescue and evacuation besides medical preparedness.
The entire National Capital Region falls either in seismic Zone IV or Zone III and is, therefore, highly vulnerable. This exercise will help in filling gaps, ensuring better communication and improving coordination among various stakeholder agencies. It will also generate awareness among the local population who need to be conscious of vulnerability of the NCR.
Under the Centre's 100-day Action Plan, several Mock Exercises on different disasters have been planned across the country. This is the first exercise from that series, while an exercise is underway ahead of the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, other exercises include a flood and an earthquake preparedness exercise in July in Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, respectively. These exercises culminate into a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief  exercise in Tamil Nadu in August.
Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs
Letter of Recommendation module launched to include vendors who don’t have Identity Card and Certificate of Vending under PM SVANidhi
Shri Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary , Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs today launched Letter of Recommendation  module for PM SVANidhi Scheme. The module is designed to give access to street vendors who do not have Identity Card  and Certificate of Vending  and are not in the surveyed list for availing benefits under the scheme. The module provides for an end to end digitally enabled process wherein an eligible vendor can request for a Letter of Recommendation from the Urban Local Body and on receipt of the same he/ she can apply for the loan under PM SVANidhi.
For applying for the LoR from ULB through the online module on PM SVANidhi portal, a vendor needs to possess any one of the documents, viz.  Proof of availing one -time assistance, provided by certain States /UTs, during the period of lockdown; or  The membership details with the vendors’ associations; or  Any other documents to prove that he is a vendor. Further, a vendor can also request ULB through a simple application on white paper to conduct local enquiry to ascertain the genuineness of the claim as vendor. ULBs will have to dispose of the request for issue of LoR within a period of 15 days.
The vendors possessing LoR will be issued Certificate of Vending / ID Card within a period of 30 days. This provision will help in extending reach of the Scheme to the maximum number of beneficiaries.
Since commencement of online submission of loan applications on PM SVANidhi portal on 2nd July 2020, more than 4.45 lakh applications have been received and over 82,000 have been sanctioned in different States and UTs. With the purpose of taking the microcredit facility to the door step of the vendors a mobile app for Lending Institutions has already been launched by the Ministry and is available on google play store.
PM SVANidhi was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, on June 01, 2020, for providing affordable Working Capital loan to street vendors to resume their livelihoods that have been adversely affected due to Covid-19 lockdown. This scheme targets to benefit over 50 lakh Street Vendors who had been vending on or before 24 March, 2020, in urban areas including those from surrounding peri-urban/ rural areas. Under the Scheme, the vendors can avail a working capital loan of up to ₹ 10,000, which is repayable in monthly instalments in the tenure of one year. On timely/ early repayment of the loan, an interest subsidy @ 7% per annum will be credited to the bank accounts of beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer on quarterly basis. There will be no penalty on early repayment of loan. The scheme promotes digital transactions through cash back incentives up to an amount of ₹100 per month. The vendors can achieve their ambition of going up the economic ladder by availing the facility of enhancement of the credit limit on timely/ early repayment of loan.